Texas Criminal Statute of Limitations Laws

A statute of limitations is a restriction on how long a person or entity may wait before taking legal action on a matter. There are statutes of limitations in both civil and criminal cases. The criminal statute of limitations establishes time limits for how soon after an incident (often the date of an arrest) a prosecutor must file formal charges against a suspect.These time limits serve a couple of purposes. First, it ensures that criminal charges aren't hanging over someone's head indefinitely and that cases are handled with more efficiency and urgency. But these limits also help preserve the integrity of evidence, including eyewitness testimony that may become blurred after the passage of time. In Texas as in other states, serious felonies such as murder and certain sexual assaults are not bound by any statute of limitations.

Perhaps you haven't been charged with a crime but you're a suspect, and hope the statute of limitations will run out before you're arrested. In any event, criminal charges often result in prison terms or a period of probation and are best defended by an experienced criminal defense attorney. If you have questions about a criminal charge, or potential criminal charge, you might want to consider getting a free legal evaluation from a Texas criminal defense attorney.